Tragic John never got over his mother’s death

A TRAGIC Wigan man who took his own life lay dead in his home for days before being discovered, an inquest heard.

Bolton Coroner’s Court heard the sad tale of John Liptrot of Booths Brow Road, Ashton, who lived alone and hadn’t spoken to family for months.

John Liptrot

The 41-year-old was found in the bathroom of his home on October 25 last year and died due to carbon monoxide poisoning.

He was found clutching a picture of his mother to his chest.

Notes addressed to friends were also found in the property.

Good friend Sarah Sunners described Mr Liptrot as a kind man who had been beset by family problems for a number of years.

The court was told Mr Liptrot was deeply affected when his mother died from cancer in 2008.

And due to domestic problems, he also hadn’t spoken to his father, Eric Liptrot, in four years, a matter Ms Sunners said severely troubled him.

Despite this, Mr Liptrot remained close with his friends, confiding in Ms Sunners and her partner Mark Atherton and regularly visiting their house for tea each evening.

But this communication stopped around six weeks before his death.

Ms Sunners said: “I didn’t really think anything of it, I thought it was because he believed he was imposing on us and that’s why he had stopped coming over.”

She added: “He was a kind person, he had never harmed himself in the past, he wasn’t like that.”

Although unemployed, the court heard that Mr Liptrot enjoyed carrying out odd jobs and tasks for neighbours and would also regularly cut their grass.

Becoming concerned for his welfare, neighbours alerted police after he hadn’t been seen for more than two weeks.

An investigation by Greater Manchester Police ruled out any suspicious circumstances or third party involvement in Mr Liptrot’s death.

The court also heard that he had previously been diagnosed with schizophrenic thought disorder and had previously self-harmed.

More than 10 years ago Mr Liptrot had also attempted to take his own life but contacted emergency services who saved him.

Recording a verdict that he took his own life, Deputy Coroner Alan Walsh said: “This was a man who had domestic problems. Clearly he was very close to his mother although there had been a breakdown in the relationship with his father.

“I am very saddened by this death of a 41-year-old man who had problems with the death of his mum and problems with communication in general.

“It saddens me a man should live in that sort of world and I am saddened he felt he should take his own life.”